Rahul Gandhi Calls for Nationwide Caste Census and More Representation for Women in Miss India Pageant
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 25: Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, renewed his call for a nationwide caste census on Saturday. He pointed out the lack of representation of women from Dalit, Tribal, or Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities in the Miss India pageant list.
Addressing a gathering at the Samvidhan Samman Sammelan in Prayagraj, Gandhi said, “I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there was no woman from Dalit, tribal or OBC.”
He criticized the media for being unconcerned about farmers and laborers, stating, “Still the media talks about dance, music, cricket, Bollywood but does not talk about farmers and laborers.”
Gandhi further asserted that when Congress forms the government, it will conduct a caste census and remove the 50% cap on reservations. “We will conduct a caste census and the 50% cap on the reservation which I don’t accept will be removed… First, we should have the data before us regarding the participation of different castes in various institutions… Talks of reservation are always held but they never get a chance,” he said.
Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi-led Central government over its recent lateral entry advertisement, Gandhi said, “Lateral entry ho jati hai, main aapko guarantee de raha hun lateral entry mein 90 per cent wala aapko koi nahi milega (I am guaranteeing you that you will not find anyone from the 90 per cent in lateral entry).”
Gandhi said that the INDIA alliance is calling for a caste census because 90% of the population is being excluded despite possessing the necessary skills and talent. “90% of the people are not a part of the system. They have the required skill, talent but they are not connected with the system. That’s why we are demanding a caste census.”
He added that the caste census is foundational for policy-making for the Congress and INDIA alliance. “BJP leaders are saying that an OBC section will be given after caste census… We want the list of different communities. For us, caste census is not just a census, it is a foundation for policy-making… Just conducting a caste census is not enough, it is also important to understand how the wealth is being distributed… It is also important to find out how much is the participation of OBCs, Dalits, workers in the bureaucracy, judiciary, media?” he said.
Doubts Revealed
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a leader from the Congress party in India. He is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which is one of the two houses of India’s Parliament.
Caste Census -: A caste census is a survey that collects information about the different castes in India. This helps understand how many people belong to each caste and their living conditions.
Dalit -: Dalit is a term used for people who belong to the lowest caste in India. They have faced discrimination and unfair treatment for many years.
Tribal -: Tribal people, also known as Adivasis, are the original inhabitants of India. They live in various parts of the country, often in forests and rural areas.
OBC -: OBC stands for Other Backward Classes. These are groups of people who are socially and educationally disadvantaged in India.
Miss India Pageant -: The Miss India Pageant is a beauty contest in India where women compete to win the title of Miss India. The winner often represents India in international beauty contests.
Samvidhan Samman Sammelan -: Samvidhan Samman Sammelan is an event or meeting where people discuss and honor the Indian Constitution. It is a place to talk about important issues like rights and equality.
Lok Sabha -: The Lok Sabha is one of the two houses of India’s Parliament. It is where elected representatives make laws and discuss important issues for the country.
Reservations -: Reservations in India are a system where a certain percentage of seats in education and jobs are set aside for people from disadvantaged groups like Dalits, Tribals, and OBCs.